Automatic wedge to adjust slack between buffer on engine and tender



H. M. LUND Nov. 3, 1931.

AUTOMATIC WEDGE TO ADJUST SLACK BETWEEN BUFFER ON ENGINE AND TENDERFiled Feb. 13, 1929 \Ww m 7 a, au a Q flaw w m 2 N z .w .M, u w 7 I l E569 m i v i n d N MS, Y 5 i it I I i i the adjustable chafing'plat-efor'niaintaining Tvention will become apparent during the thellatter incenga'gementzwith "the vfloating course of the following description. 55chafing block. .The other type of buffer is V Inthe drawings I haveshown several emv taining it in frictional engagement with the Figure 2is a section on line 22 of Fig- 00 spring pressed devices have beenfound to Figure'G is a detail sectiononline of *tionis to providenovelineansfonmaintaim face 13, as shown in Figure land a curved formaintaining the proper frictional en? tending lug 16 having afdownwardlyturned ride sn oother and' steadier. atihi'ghrates' of 'port the,chafing block 15 in position. Thee *from rocking, particularly "whenpassing indicated in Figure 1, 'for'a purpose to be V UNITED STATES)PATENT; orries V Hano in nrnwon'rn, MINNEsorA AUTOMATIC WEDGE T0 amp-s1snack nn'rwnnn BurrERoN ENGINE AND TENDER I I I it ;App11 i on filed wais, 929. Serial ,No. 3 3 9, 7l2. 1

This invention relates to locomotive bufi the above mentioned characterwhich is autoers, and more particularly-tor .means 'for matically selfadjusting aswear takes place automatically maintaining the buffer platesbetween the parts.

V of-a de'vice of this" character in proper fric- 'Aiurther object is toprovide novel means 5tiona lfrelati0n. 4 for resiliently adjusting thetension between '.At the present time, therearetwo types the buffer:parts to secure thecorrect li'riclocomotive bufiers'in use, one :ofthese types, tional engagement therebetween; employili'gsprings arrangedrearwardly of Other objects and advantages of the in- I Y provided withan adjustable chafing plate" bodiments of the invention. In thisshowhaving-an inclinedjrear face adapted to be ing, 1 a I 1 engaged byan adjustable wedge for main- Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view,

Both of the above referred to types'of bufiershave been found to possessdisadvanwedge and associated elements,

tages, since it'is necessary for the proper'op Figure 4 is a fragmentaryperspective view 1 eration of thesel devices, that the frictional of oneend of the wedge. 1

engaging faces contact with each other" at Figure 5 -is a plan view of amodified form; a substantially the proper pressure. The of thedevice,and,-, i

ure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the H provideinsufficientpressure for accomplish- Figure 5. 1 1 H p 25 ing thepurpose, while the'wedgeactuated' Referring tos'theldrawings, thenumeral 10 chafing plates have been found to exert ei-. designates therearportion of an engine to ther too slight or too great apressureag'ainst Whichafstati'onary chafing plate 11 is securedthechafing plates; by bolts 12 orfother fastening elements. The

An important object, of the present invenchafing plateis providedwith acurved inner ing p roper' frictional contact between. the flange 1 1projectsupwardly beyond the top 7 buffer members without causing unduestrain of the plate. A. floating chafing block 15' is .on the,drawyb'ar, such as occurs through the arranged against. the curvedfa'ceof theplate use oftheordinarywedge'operating chafing 11" and the forwardface of the block 15 is platesiwhen the wedges' are'tooltightly ad'curved toconfornito thesh'ape ofthe rear face v justedii- :11, j 1 ofthe plate 11. The block 151is providedat "A. further object istokprov'ide novel'means its central top portion with a forwardlyexgagament"wherebythe engine is caused to" lip 17 extending overtheflange l l to supspeed and wherein the-engine [is prevented rearface18 of the block 15 also is curved as around curves during which therocking acdescribed. I a tionusually is particularly noticeable. vAchafing plate pocket 19 ,is'ca'rried by .a I

further objectis to provide a'device'of buflerplate- 2QWl11Ch1S arrangedagainst the forward end of the locomotive tender and 1s secured theretoby suitable fastening elements (not shown) passing through out-'standing flanges 21 formed integral withthe plate 20. The pocket 19 isprovided with top and bottom walls 22 and a rear wall 23.

"Anadjustable. chafing. plate 24 is mounted in the pocket 19 and isprovided with acurved forward face 25 corresponding in shape toandadapted to engage the curved face 18 of the floating block The rearface of the plate 24 is tapered'as at 26 for a purpose toibe described,and .is spaced a. substantialid'i'stance from the forward face of therear wall 23 of thepocket. The chafing 7 plate 24 is provided at itstop; and bottom, substantially centrally thereofywith lugs 27 formingchannels 28. for a purpose to be de-.

1' it being tapered whereby its rear face 32iy adapted to contact withthe forward I face of the wall23, while its .f IWard face; 33 contactsWith the taperedface-26ofthe plate 24. The

wedge is provided with upper and} lower longi'tudinal'fi'anges 34 whichareslidable in the channels 28 previously described. I

. The wedge is provided, at one end with a block portion 35, and fromthis lolock'p'ortion; to the, opposite end of the wedge a. groove 36' isformed for a pur lose to he described; At the narrowend of tie wedge;thegroove 36 extends, entirely through the-wedge as at 37,

' for a purpose tohedescribed'.

Amrodi 3.8;is arranged. in the. groove '36 and extends througha-suitablje opening formed inthe block portion of the wedge. This rod'isprovided at one end with a transverse head 39 which; is slidablje intothe cut out/portion 37; The opposite end of the rod;

' is threaded. forv reception W th n t enuts 40,;

. andi washer 41 is arrfan'gediagainst the inn-ernios't hot. 7

.ran-ged'against the adjacentendiofv the block A similar Washer 42 is.-ar-f portion 35', a nd a relatively strong compression spring 43"contacts at itsends with the Washers 41 andi42. Thusfit will be apparentthat the head 39 is normally urged inward-1 ly toward the opening 30.

The :tform of'the invention previously dev scribed is adapted to beemployed'inconnee. 'tion with adjustable chafin (plates havingtaperedrear faces In another form ofbuffe "ing devicesfin common use,the rear face of.

I V the adjustable plate 'isformed parallelitathe. inner wall of thepocl'ret, and springs are ar ranged inthe pocket for normally urging theadjustable. plate forwardly into engagement with the floating block 15.The form. oith i invention. illustrated Figures 5 and 6: is '7';adaptedto heemployed place-of the springsusually used in theconstruction referred to. The wedge member employed in the modified formof the. device is "identical with that previously descrihedand need'nothe referred to in detail. 1

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the numeral 44 designates a stationarywedge adapted to be arranged in the pocket 19"when the device is used inconnection with an adjustable chafing plate having its rear. faceparallel-to the inner face of the pocket. wedge is provided with frontand'rear faces 45 and 46 which are tapered with respect to each other,and the smaller end ofithe stationary wedge is provided with arearwardly turned: lip ori flange4l,,,which is adapted to engage theouter wall of the pocket 19. When this form of the device is employed,itwill be appare'ntthat the front wall 33 of the wedge'3lis parallel tothe rear face 46 of the stationary wedge 44.. s

Si'ncethe space between the. rear wall of the adjustable buffer plateand the inner wall of. the. pocket varies. with dilferent construe.tions, means is provided for adjusting the;

distance between, the forward face of the at one end with a lipportion49 adapted to The stationary Contact. with. theadjacent end ofthestationary wedgef44.. a

The operation-of the farmer triedevice giro-twain Figures. 1 to .4inclusive is as, folows: i Y Thehead. 39 ofqthe rod. 3 8 ispulledroutwardly beyond the, end. of the. wedge, against the tension ofthe. spring 43,.and is turned at. right: anglesto thepositionshown inFigure. 3.- wherehy it contacts. with the. end of the;

Wedge, The wedge isthen inserted into the pocket. and placed intheposition shown in. Figure. 1., whereupon the head 39 is turned to.the: position.- sln wr'rfinv Figure, 3.. They rear face 18; of the.floating;

' The wedge ohyiously will he. maintained in i proper: position withrespect totheplate24 by the engagement of the wedge in the open.

ings 29 and 30-of the pocket, and by engagement of flanges. 34-;withithe. channels 28. Aswear-takes;place,. it will be apparent that;

the spring 43 will. compensate therefor gradually moving the. wedgeinwardly; The

arrangement of the. head 39. withinv thecut.

out portion 37. permits suchinward:-movementf off the. wedge to.takeplace.

It will. be. apparentthat the pressure exerted against the block 15hythe' plate: 24- willl V fjdepend upon the tension of the spring 4 3.

Theforward face 45 of the stationary wedge '44 forms the necessary"inclination with re- Y- ?The tension of this spring is relativelystrong,

' and readily may be adjusted by changing the position of the nuts 40 onthe rod 38.

" The operation of the form of the device shown in Figures 5 and 6 issubstantiallythe same as in the form previously described.-

spect to the rear face of the adjustable chafing Y plate-in connectionwith whichthis form of V theinvention isemployed, whereby inwardmovement of the Wedge. is adapted to effect the proper frictionalengagement between the adjustable chafing plate and ,the floating block15. The liner 48 may be omitted when i the space between'the faces 43and 4:6 of'the n justment of the wedgecan be obtained than two wedges issuificient to fill the space between the rear faceof the adjustablechafing platefand the inner wall of the'pocket. *Itwill be apparent thata much finer ad- Will). the-present forms of wedges wherein openings areprovided-in the wedge at spaced intervals to receive a locking pin.Thus, any

predetermined pressure may be obtained to cause the buiiing device tooperate properly, and the locomoive thuswill ride smoother than with thepresent constructions, and rocking of the locomotive will be eliminated,

' particularly when passing around curves.

4 ,movement of the engine with respect t'o'the I The device alsoeliminates the rearward r movement of the adjustable plate 24 which Toccurswhen springs are used rearwardly thereof for maintaining the platein engagement with the rear face of the block 15. The

tender will not displace the wedge transversely of the pocket, andaccordingly rearward movement of the plate 24,-which takes place whenthe usual spring constructions are employed, is eliminated.

The devicenot'only causes the buffer to operate in'the manner described,but t-also eliminates damage to draw bars connecting r the engine andtender, which sometimes occurs I whenthe usual wedge constructions are;em-

ployed and the wedges are too tightly in sorted.

. It isto be understood'that the forms of a the invention herewith shownand described 4. are to be'taken as preferred examples ofthe same andthat various changes in the shape, size andla'rrangement of parts may bere- J "sorted to without departing from the spirit, v of theinvention orthe scope of the sub- 'fjoiiiedclaiins. I eq p v v i 1. Ina locomotivebuifer, the combination 7 Iclaimz" 1 i Twithfa' pair of frictionallyengaging chafing elements, and a pocket "for one of said elements, saidlast named element having a tapered face ofa wedgeextending transversely of? said .po'cket and havinga taperedi face'engaging-thetapered'face' of said last named chafing; element, a rodslida'ble with respecttosaidwedge and. having a portion at one end thereof engagingsaidnpocket, and

thereof against theotherjof saidichafing ele '75 ment'Sf-I i w 1 2. In"a. locomotive buffer, the combination with a pair of' frictionallyengagingichafing elements, I and a pocket having an openingin itsoutenportionfor the reception ofione-of said elements, said last namedelement having a taperedinner face 'said pocket having openings inopposite walls thereof, a wedge extending through said last namedopenings and tapered to engage the inner face of the chafing elementarranged in said pocket, a rod sli'dably mounted in said wedge andextending longitudinally with respect thereto, one end of said rodextending through one of the last named openings in said pocket andprovided with a head engaging against the outer face thereof, and aspring surrounding the opposite end of said rod and contacting with saidwedge to urge it tomove laterally in said pocket to increase thepressure between said chafing elements.

3. In a locomotive buffer, the combination with a pair of frictionallyengaging chafing elements, and a pocket having an opening in its outerportion for the, reception of one of said elements, said pocket havingopenings in opposite walls thereof, a wedge extending through said lastnamed openings and engagingfthe inner face ofthe chafing elementarranged insaid pocket, a rod slidably' mounted in said wedge andextending longitudinally with respect thereto, oneend of said rodextending through one of the last named openings in said pocket andbeing provided with ahead engaging against the outer face thereof, and aspring surrounding the opposite end of said rod and contacting with saidwedge to urge it to move laterally in said pocket to increase thepressure between said chafing element, said head being movable to oneposition to engage said elements, and a pocket having an opening in itsouter portion for the reception of one of said elements, said pockethaving openings in opposite walls thereof,a wedge extending through saidla'st named openings and en gaging the inner face of the chafing elementvarranged in said pocket, a rod slidably mounted in said wedge andextendingl'ongitudinally with respect thereto, one end of said 'rodextendingthrough one of the last liamedopenifigs insaidpacket amlzbeingpro vidmiwitli ahead engagingiagaainst the outer 15am threofibani a.spring surrounding: the

x apposite 116; of. sailirod andiconta'cti ngrwithi V *5 wedgeidatlrgeit-to-movalateraflyinsaid;

pocket. tOiIIiZIZBiESE- the pressure between :sai-id; I

imthe'remk thereaf adjacent: said head with an normally receiving-saidhead. t'o

tain it'in engagement with said pocket; said: tori being? s lidablataudisengage said; head iron: s'aid1 slotwhereby' itm'ay 'be': turned to2;. second positiom to; its; removal; from said; pocket tg ether withsaid wedge: 3 .Inte'stimony Whereofi-Iaffixzmy signature." .I

- HAJ'QLD MARTININSGN

